Oxytocin – Oxytocin Blog – Oxytocin Research and News

Owners of dogs have been found to be both happier and healthier than non- dog owners.  Children brought up in dog owning families are better adjusted and have a greater moral sense of ‘mutuality’ than children raised in non-dog owning families.  Could oxytocin be the reason why?

According to researchers at the University of Japan, dog owners experience a surge in the hormone oxytocin after periods of playing with their dogs or simply being gazed at by them. Oxytocin has been nicknamed the “cuddle chemical” for the role it plays in the mother-child bond. It produces positive, warm feelings and because it’s a serious stress reducer – it dampens down the area of the brain associated with anxiety – may also help explain the myriad health benefits associated with dog ownership.

More at : Why owning a dog is good for you

According to an American author, humans and animals are able to bond with each other because of the miraculous powers of oxytocin. Writing in her book ‘Made For Each Other’, Meg Dayley Olmert claims that oxytocin calms the fear centers of the pituitary gland in both humans and animals, enabling our ancestors to form affectionate feelings and bonds beyond the species barrier.